Q&A Blog

Baptiste Paul is a dad, sports fan, woodworker, gardener, and school speaker. On March 6th, he will also be an author. Today he does a quick Q&A of his #firstpicturebook THE FIELD—an “excellent” (Kirkus Reviews) and “engaging book . . . sure to resonate with children who are passionate about soccer and even those who simply enjoy lively play. (School Library Journal)

Q. What inspired THE FIELD?A.The inspiration for THE FIELD came about as a result of my childhood experiences. The idea for the story came while playing outside in the rain with my children. They were so happy running in rain, splashing in pools of water and rolling in the dirt. I saw myself in them and, although our childhood experiences were totally different, we found joy in the same exact thing.

Q. What is your favorite part of the book? And was that part in the first draft? A. I like every part of the book. One of my favorite parts is when the kid is chasing the animals off the field. It was something we did everyday before we started our game. This scene was in the first draft and it was the only part where I included illustrator notes.

Q. Was there a part that you really loved but had to edit out? Or did you think of something later that you wanted to add?A. Kids getting into a little scuffle after a rough tackle from one of his friends was cut from the book. I believe that part was important simply because, there were days we got into scuffles with each other but we always found a way to settle our differences before the game ended.

Q. What is your #1 tip for picture-book writers?A. Live life deliberately and ideas will find you. Record moments for later use. What works for one person might not work for the other. With life constantly evolving around me, I walk around all day with a memo book and a pencil tucked above my ear to record those moments.

Q. Do you have a favorite writing exercise or marketing tip that you can share?A . When I’m working on a piece, I ask questions like who, what, why, where, when and how over and over again. I always think universal — similarities and differences. Most times those questions are being answered while I pace back and forth talking out loud to myself.

Q: Where can people find you? (Website, Twitter, etc.)A. WebsiteTwitter: @baptistepaulWatch THE FIELD book trailer